Really? I get the best sleep of my life when backpacking and sleeping on my inflatable sleeping pad I bought like a decade ago. It’s the Big Agnes Double Z, they don’t make it anymore but it feels like sleeping on an air mattress because it’s so big and fluffy.
The key I’ve found is getting the right inflation level, which is much less than I initially thought I would want.
Dang maybe I really lucked out with my initial pick. My Big Agnes pad is the only inflatable one I’ve owned since switching from a cheap roll-up foam pad. I’m seeing a lot of the same positive stuff about their pads in this thread.
AI says they have an R value of 1.5 to 2.0. That makes them suitable for warm weather camping only. A single pad like this is not suitable for a Sept/Oct trip in Nortern NY. Remember that a sleeping bag compresses under your body weight, so you need a warm pad to insulate you from the ground if it's cold. Doesn't matter what your sleeping bag is rated at.
R-vauies are additive, so you can stack them to get extra warmth. Or you can put them under a warm sleeping pad to make it warmer. I have a z pad that I put under my R4.5 big agnes pad when it's very cold
What isn’t comfortable? At home I’m a back sleeper, in the wild my 20” Big Agnes inflatable is a bit narrow so my arms drop to the ground. That means I’ll turn sideways a couple times each night. I also have a Outdoor Vitals long inflatable which is wider at the top although a slight weight and space penalty. The OV also has slightly oversized side rails to help keep centered on top. I still move the same, turns out I don’t sleep quite as well away from home.
Be wary of uninsulated air mattresses in mild temps.
I bought 2x Big Agnes insulated pads for my twins, along with the BA kid’s sleeping bags for our twins. This is more of a backpacking setup, but works great for car camping and living room camping.
The bags have a sleeve on the bottom so you can slide the pad inside. Helps keep them in the bag and on the pad - again - cause the cold ground can give them a chill.
We have the same sleeping bag! We use the Big Agnes inflatable, we probably have the same mats but I don’t like them. I sleep really close to my spouse and I end up getting stuck in the little gap between the two mats every time. Part of the problem is that I’m a side sleeper and a creeper, so I just scoot closer and closer to steal heat. I thought a 2 person mat would help keep me from getting stuck in the gap between the mats but I’m open to suggestions.
I know what you mean. Being in the gap seemed like the best way to describe it because it’s kind of hard to explain. It’s more like I’m on the very edge of the mat. My shoulder and hip are on the edge of the mat because we spoons so its 2 people mostly on 1 mat, the other mat kind of pops up a bit because I’m only on the edge of it and throughout the night it gets worse. My spouse doesn’t have any problem with the mats but they never end up in the bad spot. I’m sure a lot of my problem is because I’m a side sleeper. So I was kind of hoping for something with a little more support than the BA double sleeping pad. Unless, have you tried it? Is it more supportive than their regular pads? I thought they were the same.
So sorry for the confusion. When I car camp I sleep on a foam bedroll, when I backpack I sleep on an inflatable pad.
I have a double Big Agnes sleeping bag but I don’t like the sleeping pad set up it has. It’s a 2 person bag and you use 2 sleeping pads. I sleep on my side and I cuddle close to my spouse so and I’m kind of like on the spot where the 2 mats meet. It’s uncomfortable.
I’m comfortable spending a bit of money on a good pad but I don’t want to spent a lot of money on something without a recommendation, if that makes sense. I would like to stay under $500, USD from what I’ve been looking at, the double pads are kind of expensive.
I am a god damn baby and I won’t go if it’s below 30F. It’s too cold.
M/F couple, we’re thin, both 5’10”.
Honestly I can see the appeal to the separate sleep situation and this is the first time I’ve ever slept in the same sleeping bag as someone but the two person bag is warmer.
Top Sleeping Pads on Reddit
1
Exped
MegaMat Series
92% positive of 454 users
Car camping comfort champ, but some side sleepers find it thin.
Optimal-Potential641
